West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1887-10-06

and smiling in your bridal tneryln
/ "CouSin-CouSin Louisln stammered
the young girl, amazed and half alarmed
ut Seabrookes dcmeanor
'Oh, YOU need not be afraid have
not come TO ovcrwhelm you with re-
proacls,S or tell YOU all the in that YOU
have wrought, my Cousin Grace. have
brought YOU present from beyond the
seas. Take il. and with il such blessings
from me as you and your kinsfolk richly
deserve
So saying, he turned toward the table.
and brought forward TO tho light an
ivory CaSket that stood there. still half
shroudcd in its wrappings Divestcd of
these, il showed in the sunset light as a
marvel OF artistic beauty. In high re-
lief upon the lid was carved the meeting
of Bacchus and Ariadne, aud the sides
were adorned with representation Of
the bridal procession of the god, wherein
bacchantes and satyrs, nymphs and
fauns, aud cupids and panthors, were all
mingled in graceful confusion. The
mountings of the casket were i'm ANTIQUE
silver, and on a shield Just above the
lock were engraved the intertwined in
itials &C b., and below these a 'V "
surmounted with ducal coronet, the in.
sigma OF Caesar Borgia, Duke OF Nalen-
tinois. " 1t was a gift worthy TO be
offered by an enamorcd monarch 60 his
future Queen.
Grace drew near and gazed with breath
less delight at the exquisite workman
ship OF the ivory carvings. Meantime
Louis took from his pocketbook an an.
tique key in darkened silver. This, too.
was veritablc work of art. The tube
was held in the upraised hands of mer-
maid, whose curved fish-tail formed the
handle Of the hey. This handle on its
outer edge was bordered with small
scarcely perceptible points, or spncs,
which would be apt TO wound the hand
OF any one trying to open the lock and
not warned TO take due precautions This
key Louis carefully fitted into the lock OF
the Caskct
"Open it-open II, Gmco" he cried
with feyerish eagerness "Within YOU
will find inclosed necklace Of the
choicest pearls TO be found in all Paris.
Open it-open it, and tell me what you
think Of my wedding presents"
But without touching the key the Girl
gltded forward, and, resting her clasped
hands on the lid OF the caskct. she
looked into the dark, troubled depths
of her cousins eyes with a tender serious
ness in her glance that caused him TO
turn pale and to look aside.
Dear Cousin Louis she said, 'you
have brought me a magnificent gift. but
do not think me eXacting or ungratcful
If ask you for something more. You
know | am going out TO morrow TO n
new life, and / want to take with me all
the kindly thoughts and affection OF
those who loved me when / was a little
child. You feel bitterly towards us all.
know, because | could not love YOU
better than ] have done-just as / have
loved my brothers. II will cast n shadow
on the brightness Of my wedding day
II ] think you are still displcased with
my parents, and still feel unkindly
towards me- Dear Cousin Louis-my
brother Louis-in memory Of our old
pleasant days together will you not
grant me my requcstl Take back your
lovely casket and your necklace Of pearls.
and give me instead your frank brothcrly
affection once more"
He fixed his dark, burning eyes on the
soft blue ones raised so pleadingly to his
own.
$50 you will not open the caskct.
Grace" he said hoarsely
Not till you promise to grant me my
request. All, Louis, have you forgotten
all those days when we were children TO.
gcther, and little cousin Grace used TO
pet you, and watch over you, and keen
her boisterous brothers from teasing YOU?
lon were always very dear TO me. Louis
be my dear brother once again aud al
ways.
still gazing fxedly upon her, he drew
the castet towards him, unlocked it,.
threw back the lid, and Withdrew the
key. lie held up his hand with its open
pa IN turned towards Grace az he did go
and the astonishcd girl could see upon il
one or two minute drops Of blood caused
by the punctures Of the points on the
handle Of the key.
''Take your casket and your pearls.
Grace, and with them my full forgive
ness. You do not know what good
service ] have done you to-day ] have
swept from your path q bitter and
dangerous foe Did you ever read
Victor Hugo's 'EsmeraldaP There are
four lines in an old translation OF that
poem which are now ringing in my brain
Mine be the tomb and thine be light and
life.
J die ana Fate avenges thee. 'Tis we'll
go, Oh angel Of my life TO learn
II Heay' Is sweet as were thy love. Fare
we'll ."
So saying, he took Grace's head in
both his hands, kissed her tendcrly on
the forehead, and departed
week later the community was cleo
tried by the news Of the sudden death
Of young Louis Seabrook, who succumbcd
20 rapid and mysterious malady few
days after the marriage Of Miss Marsdcn
The disease which proved so speedily
fatal bafled all the science and couIcctures
Of the physicians called i'm TO attend him
They agreed that his symptoms closely
rcsemblcd those produced by the bite Of
a serpent, and finally decided that the
patient had fallen q victim 70 some acute
and mysterious form of blood poisoning
10 was only Richard Marsdcn who
learned The truth, and that was after the
death Of Loui- SeabroOk Amongst the
papers Of the deceased was found n letter
addressed tohs uncle 10 set forth in
rambling. incOherent fashion these facts
II brought the caskct OF C8sar BorQia as
o present to- Grace" he wrote. fintend-
ing that She should net long survive her
marriage The little points that stud the
handle Of the silver key, and that arc ar.
ranged sOa' 20 puncturc the hand OF any
ono who tries, unwarned. TO open the
caskct contain "a deadly venom. But